Lista de Bandas Thrash Speed At War Infidel

Yes, this is the same thrash metal band from the east coast that was one of the early signees with the then fledgling label, New Renaissance Records started by none other than Ann Boleyn. These guys released two albums, an EP and also had a couple of their tracks on the speed metal hell compilations back in the eighties which practically did not get them anywhere(while still drawing critical acclaim for being one of the first speed metal bands) and then vanished from the scene altogether. After a sabbatical of nearly 21 years, the trio is back again with this release titled “Infidel” and seems like this could have been on their eighties catalog. The feel of this album is pure old school and by no means utilizes any half step measures of the late 90s and post 2000. At War is back in business!!!!

Just like the previous two albums, the band uses the tried and tested formula of keeping the length of this one well within 35 minutes which in is fair enough for a speed metal band that uses a good dose of punk as well. The production is done pretty well alongside keeping the old school eighties feel intact. All the instruments can be easily distinguished from each other without any single instrument dominance, while the vocals are yet again vintage Motorhead style, though with a little more gruff and thrash edge. The songs in here are short and crisp, devoid of any sad as hell intros and background noise effects whereas the riff work is brilliant. Another thing likeable about this release is that the tuning is Standard E and not the drop D style that most bands follow these days.

As for the tracks, all of them blend along very well without giving any hint of falling apart at the seams. I feel no necessity of covering each and every track in detail but instead pick out a few that stick to my head prompting me to listen to them again. “Assassins” has that main riff that is some of the best I’ve heard in recent years and “Semper Fi” sort of reminded me of “Indulgence” era Nasty Savage without the insane wails of Nasty Ronnie and to an extent, Slayer in some of the guitar parts. The tracks that really stand out though are “At War” and “R.A.F”, filled with oodles of energy and a total war attitude that reminds newcomers of how thrash metal should be done. The closer “Rapechase” is a track that appeared on their debut album and also one of the “Speed Metal Hell” compilations and this in my opinion is an absolute banger of a song that could have given some of the big names back during the thrash boom a run for their money and fame.

Though some people out there would argue that this release is no different from what they did back in the eighties, and that the band has not matured at all after all these years. My take on this is that even though these guys sound dated, they’re still better off than all those bands who have taken an absolutely approach to their music. An example would be At War’s ex-label mates Sepultura who have transformed themselves beyond recognition. From a death/thrash hybrid to a total shitty sounding groove band, they’ve just made themselves look like clowns of a circus troupe. This trio on the other hand do not show any signs of compromising on their original sound and still show loyalty towards their fans with no intentions whatsoever of alienating them.

As far as the recommendation is concerned, I’d definitely go the extra mile to support these guys and bring them to the notice of the masses. Fans of yesteryear thrash, proto death and mid era Motorhead would find interest of significance here. This is the return of the war veterans.

There hasn't been very many albums that I get excited about, but this is one of those. From the opening sound effect you know this is going to punch you right in the face! The first song "Assassins" is the opening salvo of this the newest release from that power thrash trio known as At War. So many bands that come back dissapoint you with bastardized lineups, weak deliveries and bad albums. None of that exist here. This is the TRUE version of At War. Original lineup and delivery so good, that if this album was released in 1987, At War would have been huge! You never know what your going to get from a band that has reformed after such a lengthy break, but this album dispells all worries about whether or not these guys still have it. They do my friend, and in droves. "Infidel" is the third release from At War following their 1987 release "Retaliatory Strike". Which was a great album as well. The song writing on this album is so much more brutal, meaner and vicious than anything they have done before. The drummer Dave Stone is a featured on several tracks here and his technique is highlighted like never before. Paul Arnold's vocals dare I say are angrier than ever. My personal faves are "At War", "Assassins", and the "Semper Fi" .  If you're like me and you're sick of the cookie monster cookie cutter vocals found in so much of todays metal you will really appreciate this release. Infidel is a curriculum of true Thrash Metal, and a must for anyone who wants to hear what true thrash should be like. But this with confidence and Thrash till Death!!